


We Remain

by Kakasakufangirl



Category: Original Work
Genre: Destruction, Dystopia, Natural Disasters, Original Character Death(s), Post-Apocalypse, Survival of the Fittest, Zombie Apocalypse, apocalyptic future
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-01-16
Updated: 2016-12-16
Packaged: 2018-09-09 01:43:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,118
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8870884
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kakasakufangirl/pseuds/Kakasakufangirl
Summary: The world as we know it is gone. Every moral, every fiber of human perseverance no longer exist. Its all about survival of the fittest and being the one out on top.When the world turns into a dog eat dog world the only way to truly survive is to weaken the enemy. Use their weaknesses against them and pray that they don't find yours. If you want to live to see another day betrayal is your only friend but if you want to go to the Preserveance Corp you must become victorious in a little game of life and death. You must play to win, or you won't survive.





	

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Life, is the ultimate backstabbing friend. Kicking you while your down, leading you on to think your life is changing but when reality you're only getting hit with a storm of disappointment and broken dreams. It sounds a lot like what Grey was served for dinner last night. But when all is said and done, really there's no place like home.

Dirt kicked up in the air as feet mushed against the rusty loose dirt along the trail. Not far behind it a heard of growling could be heard from theheadIty mob of unlinving flesh that was motivated by the fresh ideal of new food. The scenery flashed quick; in a hurry as the only living occupance of this area moved through hurtles of thick trees and reaching bushes. Twigs and leaves all scattered about just waiting for one of the two to slip up and fall. If they did it would most likely be their downfall. They thing that would due them in even after making it so far.

By the graceful moves being made, neither companion wanted to be their enemies dinner so they sought through the ongoing forest until one saw a clearing and darted start towards it. Not wanting to be left behind, the other soon followed in his fellow survivor's footsteps. Both were egar to be out of the blinding clearing and hoped that their luck would change for the better, it didn't seem like it though.

As the the ground beneath their feet began to change, it got easier to run. Nothing was it their way now that the hills finally leveled out and they were no longer descending the rocky climates of the forest. If they just managed to find higher ground, maybe they'd be able to escape.

The sound of a yelp enter the atmosphere as the second surviver tripped and landed face first into the crusty cracked hard ground. His friend quickly turned around in horror as the crowd of monster started to catch up to them at rapid pace.

Staring down at his fallen friend the other made a quick decision and rushed back to help him up. It took a sec for them to get grounded and running again due to the slight lip in the fallen ones leg. They had no choice but to keep pressing on for their enemies were gaining on them at an alarming rate.

Still they managed to surpass them even with the limp holding back their full potential. They were urged by the thought to not die today for they both had families waiting for their safe returns. They hobbled along at top speed as they neared a rocky cliff that would take too long to climb down from and turning back was no option either.

With the strength of three men the healthier man shoved his companion up the jagged edged surface urging him to start to climb up. "We have no other choice! If we don't climb now we'll be dinner by sundown!" Once his friend was surly high enough that if he fell he wouldn't die, the other man climbed up after him.

He could hear the sound of the dead making growling noises as they reached up to grab at his legs in hopes of pulling him down. He was adeptly greatful he had not hesitated when making his quick decision on whether to climb or not. It had got him out of more sticky situations than he would've liked.

As the two continued to ascend the rocky edge his companion decided to look down to see if he was still following him. A terrified look riddled his face as he shouted down towards his friend. "Their climbing! You must climb faster!"

Daring to peak, his fears were confirmed as the creatures were indeed climbing after them with the intent to kill. They were slow and uncoordinated but still had the hunger that all animals possessed when their nails dug into the rough sides. It made him sick as he imaged what they would do if they got to them.

"Hurry! You have to climb!" The shout of his friends voice awoke him from his daydream as he shot forward towards the top at maximum speed. He didn't know how longer he could hold out. His body hurt everywhere, his mind was running on fums and he couldn't take another hit even if it meant life or death. He hoped this was the last trial or he wouldn't make it past nightfall. That's if, he survived this.

It did take them long to reach the top and once they did they were met with the a full frontal view of a canyon that was deeper and wider than anything they had ever seen. He would've admire it if he could but right now they had more oppressing matters at hand.

"What do we do?" He fellow surviver asked, his eyes in full blown panic mode. The man didn't look too good either. It had been days since their last meal and their body was just tired and worn from all of the stress that they were put through.

He tried to think of something anything they had on them that could help but they had used whatever supplies they had left on the other surviving contestants out there on their last raid. He thought it would be over once they were gone but apparently the Overseer wanted one last piece of their humanity before they died.

He wasn't sure what the man wanted after all they were the only two alive at this point, at least, he hoped. Once again the man dared to stare hover the side of the rocky cliff to find that the creatures were not long behind them. Soon their numbers would gather and soon they would bee surrounded. They could fight it out with the little strength they possessed but they wouldn't be able to do much for long. They would be consumed in a mater of minutes then they would die. Either from being eaten or by exhaustion.

"Emerson, what do we do?" He looked scared. He shouldn't be. Everything would be alright. He promised his family that. He wasn't going to let his humanity die just because the odds were stacked against them. He wouldn't, not when his family was watching.

If they survived this they could all go to the Progressive Land were they wouldn't have to worry about food or water or even those monsters climbing to get to them. They could live in peace for only the strongest survive.

"Don't worry...I think I have a plan." He said as he walked over but the other side of the cliff where they had the huge open canyon. His companion nodded, unsure what else he could do at this moment. It was his plan or no plan and the younger of the two didn't like the ideal of no plan.

"What is it?"

"Ugh, right...we're going to wait until a couple get to the top of this cliff and then, we're going to jump." He nodded to himself as the other gave him an incredulous look. "I know it sounds crazy but if we catch ourselves before we fall then we'll be alright."

"Okay how about something that involves me getting home to my family alive and not plummeting to the bottom of a canyon?"

"Seth, your just going to have to trust me...if we don't do this then we both die..." The man, Seth stood there trying to think of something, anything else that could get them out of this situation. As he stood there the beast started to rise up from the edge line of the other side of the cliff.

"Your just going to have to hate me later..." As he said that he grabbed his friend and shoved him over the side of the edge before jumping himself. The first thing he felt was the sharp stab of rock as his body rammed onto the canyon side. He twisted his body and reached with all of his might to grab anything he could.

At first he just slowed down a bit. It was enough to help him hug tightly on the pointed edge of a rock which completely stopped his fall into the rocky canyon. He squeezed his eyes shut hoping that those things weren't smart enough to climb down, if they were then they were officially screwed. The next thing that happened was the sound of growling that came so close to his ear he swore that it was right next to his ear. The sound of a body hitting the bottom of canyon echoed. The smell of rotten flesh followed right after.

He opened his eyes back up and in a flash he saw one of those things soar right past his eyes. It almost made him jump until he saw another go down. Then another fell right after that one. Then ten maybe twenty of them started to go down, all the way down towards the bottom of the canyon. He held his breath, hoping that the others fallowed suit.

He wedged his body so close to the rock he would practically be hard to miss if you weren't looking for him. He didn't want one of those things to snag on him or even remotely get close enough to touch him. For if they did, he had a feeling it would be a really far way down for him. He didn't think he could handle the thought of just falling, not while he was so close.

The smell was so horrific he could barf but he kept it contained. The man didn't move until he was sure that the last of them were gone. He couldn't calculate how long he was there but he was sure that those things were officially dead. Hopefully...

He listened and found no other sound of gurgling or moans of hunger up there so he decided to peak and there he saw Seth who, only a few feet higher than he, was holding tightly for dear life. He couldn't contain his happiness that he wasn't the only one who had survived.

"Seth! Haha, it worked! We're alive!" The elder of the two shouted. Slowly the other man too opened his eyes to peer first above him then below where his fellow surviver had indeed survived.

"Is it over?" He asked softly as he clung tightly, face first to the rock.

He was assured in a matter of minutes when there were no longer any sounds of man eating humans growling at them. "We won! It's over!" The two happily rejoiced as they begun their climb back to the top of the cliff.

"I can't believe that actually worked...for a second there I thought you were going to throw me off the cliff to my death." The man with the limp said as he neared the edge of the cliff.

"I told you we were going to make it!" Emerson said as he grunted. His muscles were sore from holding on to the rocky cliff for so long. "It was give and take back there but we made it."

He could wait to be home. He'd get to see his wife and his kids; and unfortunately his wife's mother again but he was happy no less. The first thing he was going to do after he saw them was take a long long bath. He wanted to scrub every inch of this place off of him and hoped that he could forget it.

Emerson knew that there would be some things he would have to bring back to his family like his nightmares and his battle scars but he didn't want this to destroy them as it did him. Especially his little "Speck". He want this ruining the poor child's image of him.

He peered up as his friend was gripping the edge of the cliff. "Hey be careful, those rocks look slip-", he was cut off by a scream as Seth was pulled over the side. "Seth! Hang on!" He shouted. The man climbed as fast as he could but the burning and soreness in his muscles were holding him back.

While he was busy handling the rocks Seth was holding off a lone undead zombie which, currently had him by his collar. The thing was a fully grown man with more meat and muscle on it then him. Its blood shot eyes, or should he say eye, because it was missing one, glared hungerly into his. The creature's face pealed and a rotting smell filled his noise as he tried to push it off him. The man wasn't sure where to grab him for he flet he'd only get himself killed if he did. The only thing he felt he could do was hold it at bay with his hand closed tightly around its throat while the other one he used to try to pushed futilely at its chest.

"Seth hold on...I'm almost there!" He could hear Emerson yelling from the side of the cliff but his main objective was to get the biter away from him.

"Oh god, help me help me!" He yelled.

As he struggled to keep the thing off of him he could see out of the bottom corner of his eye another one of those thngs that survived. He was somewhat unhappy that he climb up that cliff side first. The thing was a woman this time and it crouched low as if it was cornering him, as if he was prey. He shook his head. He refused to become their meal ticket today; not after he had come so far. He turned his head to focus on the one before him. It was trying to forcibly take a chunk out of him by placing all its weight on him.

Suddenly Emerson appeared by his side and pulled the thing off him and over the cliff. But as soon as he saw him the sooner he went. Emerson was yanked back down by the male biter as it hooked onto he leg. He tried with all his might to shake it off himself but the brute held on to it.

"Damn it! I can't shake this thing!" The man said as he grip the edge. The rock digging into his skin made this feel all the more realistic as he realised what situation he was in. "Seth...I can't get it off me. I need your help." As he said that Seth appeared above him and reached down. With the extended hand in his face he gladly accepted it not knowing how bad of an idea it might be.

With little to no strength the two tried to shake the creature but the thing continued to hold on. A growl alerted Seth of their other forgotten foe. She was scanty, thin almost too thin to have been called human once. The thing seemed to be processing them and decided now was the best time to strike since her prey was occupied.

She didn't run, it was more like a burst of hobbling due to her broken leg. An unimaginable fear settled in him as he turned towards Emerson. "Come on you got to get up! She coming!" He fired off rapidly.

He didn't have anything to protect himself from and one of his arms were used to keep his fellow surviver alive. He knew that between the two of them they could not pull him up from the side of the cliff in time to deal with the creature. A few scenarios popped into Seth's head: A; he could hold onto Emerson and let that thing take a bite out of his arm or his leg or somewhere where they could amputate it.

There were too many complications with that plan. One he could get bit somewhere like his chest or his shoulder where amputation would be all but useless. Plus there was no guarantee that he would survive amputation. Besides it isn't required for two survivers to survive. The Overseer might not allow him to have the operation. Stating how dangerous he could be to the whole Sector.

They had no more token chips that would keep him alive. They had used theirs ealier for food and supplies because they didn't think they'd have much use for it now. A lot good its doing them now.

Scenario B wasn't all that appealing to him either. He could just let go...right? It made him sick just think about it but this is survival of the fittest. The weak die, the strongest survive. Maybe it wasn't always right before but this was how the world turned out right. Nobody every got anywhere without screwing someone over. This is how the world works now.

He wish it didn't but now was not the time to dwell on that. He had his opinions and he was making his choice; not for just himself but his family too. If this was the way so be it. He would value Emerson with all his might but right now he was just another obstacle in his way, another surviver. You gotta fight for what you want and he wants his family.

Emerson must have read that in his eyes because the next thing he knows he's lashing out. "Seth! Seth don't do this! Seth, listen to me...we can both make it out and make it back to our families!" The man shouted but Seth couldn't hear him anymore. He was already loosing his grip.

The other hand of Emerson's latched onto his arm. The man was always so stubborn about things. He could hear the man shouting but they fell on Seth's deaf ears for he had a fear in his heart stronger than any other emotion right now. Nothing the other said could convince him of otherwise.

Seth shook his arm wildly. When that failed to work he simply started kicking the man he once called friend. "Let go! Let go of me!" He peaked a look at his charging friend who was mere inches away from him. He made his decision and with one precisely placed kick he managed to send than man's whole head flying back.

It caused Emerson to let go and slip out of his grip and the male zombie fell with him. Quickly Seth turned around, using his feet to connect with her stomach and grabbed her wrist, he flipped the female right after them. He could hear her distant gurgling as she descended the valley with all the other monsters.

Taking a second to just lay there, processing what happened. He stared up at the infernal sky and watched as the dark and gloomy clouds start to precipitate rain. It was as if the world was crying for Surviver 75. Why? The world wouldn't cry for him if he died, would it?

Somewhere deep inside of him he heard a voice tell him no...not after what he had done. Maybe he was going crazy. Maybe someone really was there and was about to kill him. Maybe it was just his self-conscious eating away at him. Whatever the case was, it didn't matter. He was alive and was going to see his family soon, he hoped.

As he laid there, he could only think about going home. He felt bad about what he had done but he had done it in the name of survival. For his family. Not wanting survivers guit dwell on him he pushed those thoughts, those feeling far deep inside of him far from the surface where they could never reach him.

Deciding he had rested enough, Seth stood up. Everywhere hurt. He felt as if he'd been a piece of meat cut, smashed, grounded, clumped and placed tightly through the ringer of packaged wraps. His stomach growled loudly and for a moment he thought another one of those things had survived.

The man with the limp looked towards the edge. A strong impulse to look over the side of the cliff overcame him out of the blue. He tried to push it down but something was calling from inside him. He wanted no, needed conformation that he was getting off this rock.

Getting as close as he wanted to get he peered over the edge only to have his suspensions diminished. From here he could see, at the bottom of the valley the body of Surviver 78 lying prone and unmoving. He was dead along with the others that fallowed him.

Standing back up, he found something that caught his eye. On the other side of the valley there was this blinding green beam. It at first was aimed at his eye and before he every realised what was happening a shot rang out and soared past his ear. A penetrating sound of something getting whacked behind him enter his now deaf ear as he turned to see a lone zombie fall to the ground.

His heart hammered in his chest as he turned back around to see that the beam had disappeared but a chopper was heading his direction. Relief filled him as he realised it was from Sector 11. His sector. No doubt the Overseer sent it to fetch him and congratulate his winner himself. He always did.

When they had finally picked him up he was congratulated by every soldier sent to protect the Overseer and he had yet to be declared the winner by the man himself. They seemed proud, as if he didn't kill his best and only friend just minutes ago. That was a blessing in itself.

Was guided to the chopper and lead aboard. Inside was nothing but small trash and dishes full of fine foods for two people... He sat on the soft leathered black seats that were obviously for the winner of these tournaments? Games? He didn't know what to call it but he knew one thing, he was alive and going to see his family again and they could go to the Perseverance Corp without worry, without fear, without consequence.

They could live.

"Congratulations, my dear beautiful winner...I am so happy and proud of your dominance over the other contestants. Truth be told, I was surprised by your last few actions...", Oh no, Seth thought inwardly, his unhappy. You do not want to make the Overseer unhappy during the games. He could simply kill you and have you replaced with his little pets. "thought they proved to be quite interesting. We had to file that little tab bit for later." He smiled.

Seth couldn't tell if it was a good smile or a bad one. You could never tell with the man but he decided to thank the man anyway. "Thank you, Overseer." He said as be downcast his eyes. He felt fear before. It was a familiar feeling when living the life inside the Sectors.

Suddenly his stomach growled and he eyed one of the trays of food that was just sitting there. Before he could help himself he stuffed his hands inside his pockets and stared down at the floor.

A small chuckle emitted from the man across from him. "Oh don't be so draft, eat. This is you feast for your hard work and survival throughout the Fittest. You've been extremely interesting so far. Surprise me once more." The man said in a low casual tone.

Hesitating for a moment Seth stared up at the man before reaching across and grasping one of the trays. A meal had been prepared for him; roast pork cut into individual slices, mash potatoes enriched with a surplus of gravy on the top, white rice and beans as his side. His mouth watered. It was the best smell he had ever smelt since...since in a long time.

He couldn't wait around for a fork as he dug into the amazing food. He didn't care if it was undignified or that he was in the presence of the Overseer. Nothing could stop him from pigging out on his meal. He felt like how the creatures he's been running from the past few days. Hungry.

A small steady clap came from the Overseer as he enjoyed the view in front of him. The man was intent on humiliating him but Seth did care, he won. He was hungry and not dead. He would go to the Perseverance Corp with his family and they wouldn't get set back like cattle. They would move on.

Once again the Overseer was talking to him and he tried as he with all his might to listen to the man but his mouth was occupied and his stomach was growling but that wasn't the only thing keeping him from the conversation.

Below the man's chin was a gash, like he got knick by something. It was too deep to be a razor blade accident but wide enough for a blade or a small knife. It happened recently too. God he hoped no one in his family was stupid enough to attack the man. "Your an interesting man Mr. (Last Name). I have a proposal for you-..." Seth cut him off.

"What happened there?" He indicated with a Bob of his head because his hands were too preoccupied with stuffing his face. Then he realised how big of a mistake it was to cut off the man. "I'm sorry Overseer." He added quickly.

The man didn't seem to mind much, his eyes just read for it to not happen again. "Oh just a little insignificant person I had to deal with. We had a disagreement or sorts." His heart jumped a little, was it his... As if reading his mind the Overseer then added. "No one you'd have to concern yourself with."

The ride wasn't a very long one but he was given enough time to finish his meal before he was showered and dressed in the most comfortable clothing money could buy. Soon he'd be paraded around the Sector to the people hut before they did that they allowed him to see his family.

He was taken to the lounge room where all of the other survivor's family members could come to watch their loved ones fight for their lives. He was appointed three body guards to make sure no funny business happened. It wasn't easy to stand in the room full of people who you have or could've potentially killed.

Seth tried to ignore the stares that were giving to him as he looked for his family. Standing not two feet away was his wife and their handsome son who was happy to see him. His little bundle of life, only six years old rush towards him. His brown hairs bouncing with every step. "Dad!"

He couldn't contain himself anymore as fell to his knees and scooped the boy up in his arms. He felt his wife join him not a moment later. Tears streamed down her face as she buried her face into his chest. He was back. They were here with him and he couldn't have felt more happier than at that moment.

He let the tears fall from his face that he couldn't let go those past few days, weeks he was gone but now they were flowing and he couldn't stop them.

When he opened up his eyes behind one of the guards was a girl who couldn't be no more older than six or seven; she was about his son's age. She just stood there staring at him with big puffy eyes and something small, thin and whiney dangling from her hand. The child wore the same attire that everyone in the lounge had on, including his family. White shirt and bottoms with white slippers.

Her brown eyes bore into his soul and told of a tell of betrayal that he had yet to recognise. She seemed so close yet distance to him. Her mouth was drawn in thin lines, not pouting, not crying, not even the slightest evidence of drool. Clean, innocent. Her eyes hallow and blank but saying more than words could say.

_Monster._

Lair.

Traitor.

**Murderer.**

That said that and more. Before he could even ask who she was or where she had come from a voice called out to him and pulled him back. "Honey, are you alright?" His wife's worried voice filled his ears as he pulled back to stare at her. She seemed concerned, scared. He didn't want her to fret. They were safe now, because of him.

He wanted her to know that they would stay that way. "I'm fine, just a little overwhelmed." He spoke softly, afraid of his own voice. That seemed to calm her though. It was all he could ask for.

"Just take your time and adjust to this, okay. I want you to be alright okay." As she said that he peered back over her shoulder to see if the little girl was there. She wasn't. She was gone and like that his guilt went away. Slowly but gone.

"Okay." He replied simply.

  


The sound of a clock ticking filled the air. It's arithmetic beat made sleeping that much easier as the noise made time fly faster. Knowing how most nights like this went she knew that she would get as much sleep as she had hoped for. Staring up at the dark black ceiling, brown eyes searched for something, anything that might interest her but found nothing. Not even a speck of dust floating around could spark imagination.

How plain. It didn't matter anyway. She'd have to get up soon for morning chores around the sector. Besides it wasn't the first time that sleep alluded her. Lying prone on the bed and trying to get some type of rest was harder that it seemed.

Her mind was a haywire of thoughts just scrambling about in her brain trying to configure some sort of plan any plan that would make this day go by smoother for her. _Every other year for the duration of that year._ Today, she would have to be on her best behavior of all days. No screw ups. Stay hidden and unseen and maybe just maybe.

A ground grazed her face as she flipped on top her side. This wasn't helping. She had days to prepare for this and yet she spent most of it wandering the outside sector where they grow most of their food. It's where her father used to work. It's where her brother works. It's where she likes to work.

Dealing with food and plants was much easier than dealing with people. At least she didn't take it personal when the plants let her down and die. A small grimace happened upon her face as she laid still. That wasn't fair and she knew it.

Realising that sleep would not be accompanying her tonight she stood up and decided to turn on the TV. There wasn't much they could watch but the events on the set and hope for the best. Especially since the Overseer condemns everyone to watch. It was one time of the year they spurge on electricity. Had it been any other time of hear they would've consider it a crime.

After turning on the TV Grey sat back down on her bed an nested herself in a bundle of pillows and blankets like she did with her father when he was alive. He always was the cuddling type. She smiled fondly at the memory as the screen fizzled for a bit; indicating the time for the Overseer's annual announcements.

A dark figure appeared on the screen. By its body shape you could tell that the figure was male; was sitting with one leg crossed over the other in an almost relaxed way but she could tell that the man was vibrating with excitement. He enjoyed watching these tournaments, these games...how sick and runs this place.

She would shudder if she could but her mind was too focused on the announcement to do so. It wasn't as if he was going to say anything different. Every year was the same. Get selected, survive, kill and win. That's all to it except the part about the Perseverance Corp. It was some dumb promise that if you win you get to go to a safe haven of some sorts. She doesn't think it actually exist; just a way to get despite people to do dumb things.

A challenge of course. A way to see who deserves to live and who deserves to die depending on what you're fighting and what you're willing to lose. At the end of the world, people had a lot of things to lose; families, friends, lovers, themselves...their humanity. It was a long way down from the rabbit hole and now their only making it worst for themselves.

The Overseer laughed in delight as they recapped all previous winners and experiences that people where put through in the game. It caught Grey's attention as she peered up at the screen. Men, women, children all fighting against each other in a ruthless battle for life. A shame that to live in this world you have to cause the most deaths.

"Look at that, just beautiful. Humans resorting back to their primeval natures. The bare instincts that kept them alive and thriving back in the Stone Age." The scenes flashed quick, almost too quickly. A man, in his late thirties to early fourties used a long double edged blade to gut and shred the throat of a young boy. He looked no more than fourteen maybe fifteen.

That is considered normal when your families name is picked and your the only one old enough to fight or if you have no older sibling or family memeber willing to save your life and take your place. It really didn't matter on age, you just had to have one person join the rest for a slaughter fest.

Another scene past by. Once she could recall vividly. Two teenagers; one boy, one girl, beat an elderly woman to death with nothing but their fist and rocks all for some of her food supply. It was horrific to say the least. Sad part about it was she would've shared some of it with them for their protection but they had insisted on taking all of it. "Savages, beasts...monsters! They are the ones who survive! THEY are the fighters!"

The sciences stopped flashing by and stayed stationed on one moment. A moment in all history the caused an uproar of panic and mistrust. It had been seven years ago when she was a little girl. A man and his so called best friend had ended up being the last two alive while they were being chased by a hored of undead. People questioned why the Overseer didn't come collect them once they had been the remaining two. It was obvoius that neither man would fold on the other. Maybe he saw what they didn't. When things got tough the friend, Seth did something terrible which prompted the greatest betrayal of all time. When Emerson rushed to his friends aid he was thrown off the cliff and died on impact once he fell to the bottom of the canyon. Seth had won and was rescued shortly after. When he came back people all around the Sector considered him a traitor and called him as such. Even Grey, who was on six at the time understood what he had done, what he caused to have befallen on the rest of the Sector.

He was a monster. A traitor to them all and would sell them out in an instant. Grey shook her head as she turned away. She didn't want to witness the death and murder of another innocent person, as she did every year. Though the Overseer would broadcast it all day until this afternoon when they pick the names of the families whose members would be chalked up to slaughter.

The girl could recall that day so much was because she was there when it happened. Well, technically not there but she witnessed it. The whole Sector did but she had a front room seat to watch on all monitors, alongside her family; with the other families.

It was the day her mother became a widow. Their family's name had been called and someone had to go. Her brother wasn't old enough, barely twelve and she, nine. Her mother wasn't strong enough and for sure would die in the first five minutes of the whole duration. Her grandmother, she wouldn't even place her grandmother and running in a sentence. While she loved her family to death they weren't exactly the fit type of people so her father was the only one left.

It worried her, night after night that her father wouldn't make it back from that dark and cold place and if he did, he'd be changed. She didn't know what would be worst. Having him back and him not being the same or him dying the same man he had been for years. Grey didn't know what else to think so she begged to take his place to which he only laughed. She had been only a child then, talk about her family. She wouldn't have gotten to the ceremony.

Her father had promised her that he would come back and like the child she was, she believed him. He told her and her family that he would make companions in there that would help him survive because that's what they all wanted survival. It wasn't easy forming a team when everyone already knew you were dead. You'd slow them down. Get them kill. Useless. Pathetic. Unhelpful. That's what they thought of her father.

It made picking him off that much easier.

But still, like the naïve child she was she clung to that promise, that hope that after this was all over her daddy would come home. It wasn't until she saw the man die right before her eyes did that hope died with him and it was all her fault.

Pain shot through her heart like something awful as she pushed the dark and somber memories away. She wouldn't let the evilness that remained in this world overtake her. She had to pull through. It's what her father would've done.

Grey sighed as she peered back up at the TV that she had long forgotten. The Overseer's voice just repeated the mantra of the yearly announcements as if it was an every day occurrence, as if life wasn't terrible enough.

She glared at the shadowy figure in the TV screen. The girl hated him witha ppassion for what he took form her. She remembered those days of staying in that tower and being forced to watch as people died, how he thrived off the pleasure of it. He even invited her to his private quarters once. It wasn't like when they had to go through th condolence speech that he gave all of the families who lost loved ones in his office surrounded by hundreds of his guards.

No. That session was more private, more confidential as if he didn't want anyone to know. She still shivered as she was at the man's mercy for more than an hour. In fact, she spent the majority of her time in there watching as her father fought for survival.

The Overseer, or Mathew Robbins as he liked her to call him, enjoyed the pained look every time her father got hurt. The frightened stare she sent towards the scene as she begged her father to not kill anyone. He relished on that all and more.

But...she had gotten him back when all was said and done. She had started the beginning of her revenge on him during the condolence speech in his office and she promised him that it was only starting. After that her family was promptly "escorted" out of the building and by "escorted" she meant thrown out physically.

Her mother was displeased with her behavior and ended up blaming her father's death on her which wasn't that far from the truth. She was the one who had gotten her father killed and it all started with her session with the Overseer. That day was the just a revelation on her mother's part, a new awakening as she begun treating her daughter like garbage on the street. Though her mother wasn't the only one.

Her grandmother reminded her every day of her life how she single handedly caused her father's death and how much of a disgrace to the family she had become. She was sure if her other didn't remind her that he still loved her then she wouldn't feel as if she was apart of the family. He was the only who didn't blame her, at least not outright. At least not to her face.

The sound of another alarm being set off pulled her from her thoughts as she stood up from her bed. Taking a look at her clock she began to dress quickly as her shift in the fields would being in a few. There was an echo of footsteps that stopped by her door. The shadow from the hallway light gave it away as she just silently got dressed. Grey waited a few before walking over towards her door and peeked through the small little peephole to see who it was.

Mother stood there with an almost vacant expression on her face as face the door. The woman didn't move or say anything, she just stood there as if she was waiting for Grey to come out. Not sure with what to do with herself she opened up the door and tried to offer the woman a trying smile. The look of disgust crossed her face as Grey's check became the victim of her brute force. The girl received a slap across the face that stung like a bee sting.

Without much prompting she watched as she walked away. The bitter feeling of being the most hated thing in the world started to surface as she just closed her door and gathered her overalls that hung heavily on her. They were her father's for when he was alive and he used to work in the fields. She placed them in her lapsack and hung that over her shoulder. Since it was likely that their was no one fixing anything in the kitchen, Grey took it as her cue to leave.

She was not wanted here, that much was obvious. If she snuck out to go to work she wouldn't be missed at all. In fact, no one would care. Maybe her brother, Virgil would but who knows. Grey crept towards the front door in hopes to avoid any type of confrontation between the others. She really didn't want to be reminded on how useless she was.


End file.
